Ornament for slide fasteners



A. G. RINEHART ORNAMENT FOR SLIDE FASTENERS Filed Jan. 28, 1949 March 9, 1954 Patented Mar. 9, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 1 Claim.

This invention relates to slide fasteners and relates more particularly to the combination with a slide fastener of a pull tab of special constructionwhich is arranged to form a support for an ornament which covers the fastener slide and which is easily detachable from the slide so that one ornament may be replaced with another.

A slide fastener shield of this general character is disclosed in my co-pending application, Serial Number 57,530, filed October 30, 1948, now matured into Patent No. 2,570,378, dated October 9, 1951, and the present application contains a'number of specific improvements in the structure of the earlier application.

An important object of the present invention is to provide a novel supporting means for an ornament of the type which Will retain it in any desired position and prevent or at least largely reduce movement in relation to the body of the wearer.

The ornament of the present invention has particular application to slide fasteners on mens sport shirts which are usually formed with collars not generally adaptable for receiving an ordinary tie and yet this absence of a tie gives the shirt a certain untidy or undressed appear-ance. The improved ornament of the present invention not only conceals the slide of the fastener, but also functions as a decorative element which introduces a new style in mens apparel. It is equally effective whether the ornament is disposed in its uppermost position with the front shirt opening entirely closed, or in a lowered position with the upper section of the garment in the open position of less formal attire.

The decorative element of the present invention has many uses in addition to its application to sport shirts for men. It is effective in connection With any garment openings for mens as well as Womens garments wherein a slide fastener is employed, and always gives the garment a more iinished and neater appearance than is possible with the usual exposed fastener slide.

Another important object of the invention is to provide means for spacing the slide from the body of the garment, the ornament having a central recessed area in its rear surface which receives the slide in secured relation. The area of such rear surface on both sides of this central section, is the portion which contacts the body of the wearer and this arrangement prevents rotative movement of the ornament on a vertical axis.

The arrangement is such that rotative movement of the ornament on a horizontal axis centrally of the ornament is largely eliminated. The device of the present invention is most effective in connection with slide fasteners of the selflocking variety and the novel pull tab which may easily replace the usual pull tab also provides this self-locking effect. The contour of this pull tab, which supports the ornament, is such that normal cleaning operations are not affected. The ornament is removed and replaced with another with ease and facility.

In the drawing:

Fig. l is a rear elevation of an ornament embodying the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a central vertical section taken through the ornament and slide fastener and showing the means of attachment of the ornament on the pull tab of the latter.

Fig. 3 is a rear elevation of the pull tab and fastener slide, the view showing in broken lines a portion of the ornament.

Fig. 4 is a broken horizontal section taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a broken horizontal section taken on line 5 5 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 6 is a broken horizontal section taken on line 6-5 of Fig. l.

Fig. 7 is a broken vertical section taken through the ornament and a modified supporting means therefor.

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the modified pull tab.

Fig. 9 is a broken vertical section taken through the ornament and a second modified form of support therefor.

Fig. 10 is a perspective View of the modied pull tab of Fig. 9.

Fig. 11 is a horizontal section taken through a modified form of ornament and supporting means therefor.

Fig. 12 is a broken perspective View of the back portion of the modified ornament of Fig. 11.

Fig. 13 is a perspective view of the pull tab Ill which is supported on a pull tab Il whichl 3 differs only slightly from pull tabs of -conventional construction. The pull tab is mounted on a Keeper 9 pivotally carried on a slide I2 of a conventional type of slide fastener having stringers i3 attached to the edges of the garment which are arranged to be closed by the fastener.

The ornament includes a back plate I4 and a front wall I5 of fabric or other suitable material which are secured together around their marginal edges. In the arrangement shown, the plate and the front wall are provided with continuous flanges I6 and I1, respectively, which are suitably secured together. Also, the flange I6 on the back plate may be enclosed by the flange Il on the front wall. It will further be obvious that if the front wall is formed of metal it may have a covering of fabric or other ornamental material or the front surface of the member may have its own surface ornamentation such as by etching and/or coloring the same.

Conventional pull tabs on slide fasteners are generally fiat and the tab used in connection With the present invention is substantially flat but is curved inwardly towards the body at its lower end as shown at E?, for a purpose to be described. It is further provided with two vertically spaced inwardly projecting humps or detents 2I and 22 and at its upper end it is bifurcated and is formed with spaced, inwardly projecting fingers 23 which are arranged to be received in the opening between the keeper and the slide I2 for the purpose of mounting the tab on the slide. A prong 24 on the keeper provides self-locking action, between the slide and the stringers.

The back plate Id is formed with vertically spaced openings 29 and 39, the lower one being substantially square and the upper-opening 39 having a vertically elongated shape. Of importance in the construction of this plate is its multi-level surface contour. The intermediate or mean level is in the central section 3i lying between openings 29 and 3i). The highest level is in the sections 32 lying on both sides of section 3l and extending substantially to the top of the back plate and over a major portion of the distance to the lower edge thereof. The lowest level is in sections 33 and 34 which lie inimediately above and below central section SI.

When the ornament is to be mounted on the pull tab the ornament is placed so that upper opening 32 is adjacent the lower end 20 of the pull tab. The ornament is then moved upwardly, thus causing the pull tabto pass through upper opening 30 and through lower opening 29. This movement is facilitated by having the lower end of the tab curved inwardly. Detents 2I and 22 are spaced apart a distance equal to lthe depth of central section ZI. For the purpose of providing a locking action between the pull tab and the central section, the interior of the ornament contains a mass 31 of sponge rubber or other resilient material such as a at spring. Thus, when the ornament is moved upwardly a sufcient distance to cause detents 2| and 22 to engage upper and lower edges of central section 3l, there is provided the locking action shown in Fig. 2. It will be noted that upper depressed section 33 is generally triangular in shape and is defined on opposite sides thereof by lines 38 which aid pull tab II in its movement relative to the back plate. This arrangement of the two depressed areas 33 and 34 facilitates the mounting of the ornament on the tab and also the guide release of the ornament from the 4 tab and its replacement by another ornament if desired. It will be noted from an examination of Fig. 2 that the lower curved section of the tab is spaced inwardly from the back plate I4. To effect release this lower section is depressed in the direction of the back plate and lower detent 22 is freed from engagement with the lower edge of the central section 3I and the ornament then moved downwardly and free from engagement with the tab. The purpose of the raised areas 32 on opposite sides of the central section is to prevent swinging movement on a vertical axis of the ornament relative to the body of the wearer.

Also, because of the fact that the supporting point for the ornament is disposed inwardly of the eiective rear surface (section 32) of the back plate, the tendency to rotate on a horizontal axis centrally of the ornament is greatly reduced and the connection between the pull tab and the ornament is such that rotation on a horizontal axis perpendicular to the back plate is also prevented.

The slide is normally locked against movement f due to the self-locking,r action of prong 24. When the ornament is moved up or down such action causes the tab to release the keeper and its prong.

In the modified arrangement of Figs. 7 and 8, the ornament Il! may be constructed in the same fashion as that shown in Figs. 1 to 6. In this instance, however, the slide is again bifurcated at its upper end to provide inwardly facing fingers 4B for attachment to a ring 4I carried on slide I2; such ring replacing the keeper 9 in the fastener of Fig. 2.

For the purpose of locking the slide in any desired position the upper end of the tab is provided with -an angular extension 42 which, when the tab is substantially vertical, slightly pierces the stringers and has the same effect as the prong 24 of Fig. 2. The lower end 43 of the tab is curved inwardly and a raised dimple 44 serving as a detent engages the lower edge of central section 3I of the back plate of the ornament.

The tab is moved into supporting relation with the ornament in the same fashion as Fig. 2 and to release the ornament the lower curved section 43 is depressed, thus freeing the detent and allowing the tab to be withdrawn.

In the arrangement of Figs. 9 and l0 the tab 45 has the inwardly projecting fingers 49 at its upper end and the lower section is struck out to provide a clip 46 which is integrally connected with the tab at its lower end 4l. A dimple or detent 48 engages the upper edge of central section 3| of the back plate of the ornament. In this instance the ornament is moved downward rather than upwardly when it is to be attached to the tab. If the slide fastener is of the type shown in Fig. '7 the tab may have the locking fingers similar to fingers 42 of Fig. 8.

In the modified arrangement of Figs. 1l, l2, 13 and 14 the ornament 53 is provided on its rear surface with spaced substantially U-shaped brackets 51S which are vertically disposed. These brackets may be formed of wire as shown and appropriately secured to the back plate or they may be integrally formed, struck out portions of the back plate. In this instance, the tab 55 is again provided with inwardly projecting fingers 56 at its upper end and there is struck out from the body section of the tab an offset portion 51 which is connected with the tab at both ends thereof.

The width of this section is equal substantially to the distance between the U-shaped brackets 54 on the ornament. Thus, to secure the ornament to the tab, a flat key or pin 6I] having transversely disposed spaced ridges or offset portions Si and stop members t2 at one end is employed. To mount the ornament on the tab, the ornament is placed so that the U-shaped brackets overlie the opposite vertical edges of offset portion 5? and the i'lat key is then inserted. Casual removal is prevented by ridges on the key 6|.

In the form of the invention shown in Figs. '15 and 16 the ornament l0 may again be similar to that shown in the first form of the invention and in this case the pull tab 65 is again curved inwardly at its lower end ES and is provided with spaced detents 6'! in this lower section. The tab 16 shown in Fig. 17 is similar to the one of Fig. 11 except that the clip Il is integrally connected with the tab at its upper end i3 and a hook portion 79 replaces the dimple.

While four forms or embodiments of the invention have been shown and described herein for illustrative purposes, and the construction and arrangement incidental to specic applications thereof have been disclosed and discussed in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is limited neither to the mere details or relative arrangement of parts, nor to its specific embodiments shown herein, but that extensive deviations from the illustrated forms or embodiments of the invention may be made Without departing from the principles thereof.

What I claim is:

A fastening device of the character described arranged to detachably secure an ornament to a slide fastener having a slide thereon, said ornament having a back plate and spaced U-shaped brackets extending rearwardly from the back plate, comprising a pull tab pivotally secured to said slide and having a forwardly struck-out central portion arranged to be received between said brackets, and a substantially flat key formed with spaced ridges and which passes through the brackets and the struck-out portion to secure the ornament to the pull tab, the spaced ridges contacting the U-shaped brackets to prevent casual removal of the key.

ALAN G. RINEHART.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

